Bolton Wanderers Women were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at home this afternoon following a physical and heated contest against league leaders Mancunian Unity.
Wanderers went into the contest looking to build on their 2-1 away victory earlier in the season, but this time league leaders Mancunian Unity ensured the points were shared.
New signing Molly Philpott, who joined the club this week from Sporting Khalsa was named amongst the substitutes today, before making her debut in the second half.
The visitors came hungry to get off the mark, the first fifteen minutes saw them test Annabelle White a couple of times, but the Wanderers keeper kept her cool and commanded a series of saves to keep the Whites in the game.
Wanderers began to settle and nearly broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Millie Smith played a superb ball through to Ella Tweedle, who drove forward, but the Unity goalkeeper reacted well to rush out and smother the danger.
Further chances followed soon after, with Charlotte Tyers going close in the 22nd minute after Zara Plano delivered a dangerous ball into the box, only for the Unity keeper to get a vital touch.
Bolton continued to threaten and came close again just before the half-hour mark when Sienna Limbert struck from 20 yards, forcing the Unity goalkeeper into a fingertip save to tip the ball over the bar.
Wanderers soon made the breakthrough when a corner delivery was met by a strong header from Ella Tweedle, allowing Limbert to react and fire home for the Whites.
At the other end, Annabelle White was once again called upon just minutes before the end of the half, producing another fine save to keep Wanderers in the lead as they headed into half-time.
The start of the second half saw White being called upon again early on, producing another good stop in the 46th minute, keeping the visitors at bay.
However, on the 49th minute a Unity goal came from a corner from Mille Jardie and was then headed home by Liz Ince put Unity back into the game.
Annabelle White was called into action once more in the 59th minute to deny a well-worked Unity attack. On the hour Unity's Liz Ince was booked after an altercation with Zara Plano.
Unity continued to press and had created a chance in the 83rd minute but were unable to execute, and Wanderers continued to look dangerous on the break but were unable to find the goal to break to separate the two sides.
As the match entered the closing stages, tensions flared. Ella Tweedle was shown a yellow card in the 86th minute before Wanderers were reduced to ten players in the 89th minute when Sienna Limbert received a red card following an altercation with , which caused a coming together of players in dying minutes of the game. Deep into stoppage time, Lily Barnes was also shown a yellow as Bolton battled to hold onto their share of the points.
The two sides meet again next weekend in the Alliance Design and Print Cup, at Lostock.
Wanderers: White, Leigh, Walsh (C), Smith, Limbert, Rigby, Dale, Wallis, Plano, Tyers, Tweedle
Subs: Wilkinson, Baldwin, Hardman, Philpott, Barnes
Mancunian Unity: Reid, Russell, Jardine, Etchells, Ince, Taylor, Shaw, Plant, Purslow, Price, Kershaw
Subs: Charlton, Mackie, Hancock, Fergerson, Owens
Report by Katherine Byrne. Pictures by Jake Horrocks.